Last weekend, Matthew and I drove the twisty and pastoral Highway 84 from the Bay Area community of Woodside west through the hills to the rugged northern California coast, south of Half Moon Bay. We were bound for the town of Pescadero and a “table-to-farm” dinner hosted by Jered Lawson and Nancy Vail at Pie Ranch, their beautiful farm with a mission:

Pie Ranch cultivates a healthy and just food system from seed to table through food education, farmer training, and regional partnerships.

After a warm welcome, we strolled past playful goats, snorting piglets and a brood of hens, up a gentle hill to visit Jered and Nancy’s neatly cultivated fields.

As a yellow-eyed farm cat stalked critters, we listened to Jered talk about the couple’s approach to sustainable farming and protecting their rich soil for the generations that follow. Before heading down the hill to our four-course dinner served in the couple’s barn, we picked fat, juicy strawberries, warm from the late-afternoon sun.

Our memorable meal was prepared by Heath Thomson of Metes & Bounds, a company that celebrates the marriage of fresh, responsibly-grown and raised food, and fine wine enjoyed at the source. Heath travels from his home base in Portola Valley to Northern California farms in a tricked-out bus painted candy-apple red with his trusty, custom combo BBQ/smoker.

Heath began cooking professionally in high school, training at the The Village Pub in Woodside, an award-winning restaurant that embraced the farm-to-table philosophy before the approach had a name. Over the course of his career, Heath has honed his craft and vision in big city kitchens and the Colorado Rockies. The result? Earthy, comforting dishes featuring complex, sophisticated flavors.

The only thing better than a wildly delicious meal? Sharing it with new friends. Here again is the link to Metes & Bounds. If you find yourself in Northern California this summer, sign yourself up for your own memorable table-to-farm dinner experience.

It’s been a glorious spring season at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market. Peonies made their debut three weeks ago; stone fruit and cherries arrived last week. I haven’t had as much time as I like in the kitchen during the last month. But this time of year, there are so many ways to enjoy the […]

Last month, The Honor Bar, featuring American classics, cocktails and wines, opened in Montecito. We braved the early-evening crowd last Friday and gave the cozy restaurant a spin. Thumbs up all around for the restaurant’s perfectly-cooked, crispy fish sandwich on a house-made tender, giant brioche bun. We loved the colorful and crunchy Macho Salad, which […]

Early season tomatoes, strawberries and asparagus are here; winter is giving way to spring. I wanted to share some of the beautiful flowers and produce that have been in our market this year — and apologize to my friends east of California. Here’s hoping winter soon takes its leave along with the incessant cold and […]

If you crave the intoxicating flavors of the Middle East, I’ve got a dish for you. Or, rather, The New York Times’ Sam Sifton does: a tender, powerfully-flavored, home-kitchen version of Chicken Shawarma, but without the fire, smoke and spit. For all of its flavor, Sifton’s Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma is deceptively simple to prepare. A […]

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We’re off to a running start in 2015, but each of us seems to be heading in a different direction. One challenge I’m working through is how to make sure we refuel in a healthy way when we’re not together. I’d bought a variety of energy bars over the years, and like Goldilocks, hadn’t found […]

New Year’s Eve isn’t my holiday — I catch the ball drop in NYC (with the sound on low) and then head to bed. But, I like the symbolic wind-down of the year, which for me, is coupled with a hopeful look ahead. On that positive note, some shots of the Santa Barbara Farmers Market […]

I’m out of sorts this holiday season. I feel pushed to be efficient and cross to-dos off of my list, yet I’d much rather take a long walk in the hills with Matthew and Jack, or beeline it for the kitchen for a cherished mother-daughter cooking project — Chocolate Cream Puffs with Mascarpone Filling, anyone? […]

The lead-up to Thanksgiving makes me giddy. Whether our dining room is full or it’s just we three around the table, I look forward to planning the menu and making the meal. Not surprisingly, the highlight of this annual ritual are my visits to the Farmers Market. November is a feast for the eyes. Take […]